#2 Is your school getting the most from its technology?

Is your school getting the most from its technology? Keep up-to-date and find out how to use technology effectively in teaching, learning and management, by signing up to Becta’s newsletters. To receive regular updates with the latest technology focused news and developments in education, register now at

Link: http://track.adform.net/C/?bn=210899

#3 Transforming schools for the future - provoking schools to think differently

#4 New ways of learning outdoors

As more and more schools have moved more of their learning outdoors in recent years, particularly in the primary sector, so the market for advice and resources in support of that move has grown. The BSF and Primary Capital programmes appear to have stimulated that market further. Individuals and organisations seeking to understand that market more are well advised to take note of another recent publication from Futurelab, the 'Reimagining outdoor learning spaces' handbook. The handbook focuses on "the use and utility of outdoor space for play and learning, and aims to support those thinking about redesigning their outdoor spaces".

Link: http://www.futurelab.org.uk/resources/publications-reports-articles/handbooks/Handbook1187

#5 Developments in interent filtering technologies and other measures to promote online safety

This interesting document has been brought to my attention. It's the latest report from the Australian Communications and Media Authority on Developments in internet filtering technologies and other measures 
for promoting online safety (Apr 2009).  Your attention is drawn to page p. 43 for a good overview of the use (or not) of age verification to validate children online.

My view on children and online safety?

1. Accept you're not going to stop it, kids will do this because it's part of their life, you'd be better off trying to stop them talking to each other out of school.

2. If you ban them then they will never tell you when they are being abused or bullied online. They will be scared that you will stop their "social" life - and it is THEIR social life however much it may be alien to yours or mine. To them the online and offline are blurred into one, they see no difference.

3. What is needed is education. Of the children and of the parent. Not a one off thing but a whole school culture thing. Agony Aunt type thing perhaps, get the Y6 to prepare a help sheet for younger members in the school, see if kids from local secondary school can come in and give good advice re safety and what to do/not to do, they will listen to them.

4. Get the parents up to speed on it so they don't freak out and get frightened by the net. Lots of hype out there.Link: http://wiredsafety.org/resources/pdf/parentingonline.pdf is a useful FREE book, especially the "contract" bit.

5. On your school website, links to decent resources like the wiredsafety, CEOP and child net resources should be there for the community.

We're not going to stop young people, or older people, using technology for being mean but what we can do is create an ethos in institutions where bullying is not acceptable and recognises that in-school/out-of-school is now blurred for ever and it's not coming back.

I was at a cyberbulling conference last year in New York, one novel approach by the New Jersey education network manager was novel, he challanged the children to break the system and let him know how they did it and gave an award for the best ideas. I also heard about how young teens are going into schools to inform and train up others in the schools to carry the message that cyberbullying is just bullying and all the school should work together to stop it. I also heard tragic tales of what happens when things go wrong and young people feel unable to share their fears with adults.

Link: http://www.acma.gov.au/webwr/ PDF report Developments in Interent filtering
Link:http://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/
Link: http://www.wiredsafety.org/
Link: http://www.childnet-int.org/
Link: http://www.bullying.co.uk/

#6 Army Education Website - Free Resources

The Army In Education website http://army.mod.uk/armyineducation is offering free curriculum support for secondary school teachers. Aimed at teachers of students aged 11-16 years, the website provides a range of free curriculum support materials for Geography, PE, Assemblies and History using aspects of the British Army as a theme for learning.  In addition to the curriculum support materials teachers will be able to find out how Army museums and Army Careers Advisers can enhance classroom learning.

It is hoped that by developing a better understanding of the work of the British Army, that young people will respect the work of British Soldiers and their role in our society.

Link: http://army.mod.uk/armyineducation

#7 Family News